Le Jardin Retrouvé Cuir de Russie EDP

As unusual as this subtle fragrance combination of leather and violet is, the unisex perfume is captivating and fascinating. Cuir de Russie starts off light and floral-fresh with lemon and lime as well as petitgrain (orange blossom or "fleur d'oranger") and aldehyde notes. The heart note then unfolds with violet aromas of flowers and leaves as well as woody, warm notes of cedar and styrax and sweet ylang-ylang. Although the base is dominated by the characterful leather note, it remains pleasantly unobtrusive. It is flanked by woody-spicy cedar juniper (also juniper) and sandalwood, earthy patchouli and oakmoss as well as warm-spicy labdanum.

Yuri Gutsatz created Cuir de Russie in 1977 and thus created a new facet of Russian Leather. It is more subtle and a touch more sparkling than the usual leather perfumes, yet full of character. The floral component lends lightness and freshness, the resins depth and warmth, which is why it is more of a winter than a summer fragrance. The earthy-sweet notes of styrax, ylang-ylang, cedar-juniper and patchouli are considered relaxing by many, and Givaudin has certified it with the "Mood Booster Quality of Sleep". Cuir de Russie - leather from Russia - is the only fragrance in Le Jardin Retrouvé's portfolio that does not refer to a garden in its name, but is reminiscent of the origins of company founder Yuri Gutsatz's father.

The name of the perfume house Le Jardin Retrouvé says it all: the "rediscovered garden" stands for fragrances inspired by nature. Plant-based and without artificial aromas, they are not only extravagant fragrance compositions, but also mood enhancers in the truest sense of the word. We know from our own experience that fragrances are strongly linked to memories, but they can also influence our mood. This connection also fascinated perfumer Yuri Gutsatz, who founded Le Jardin Retrouvé together with his wife Arlette in 1975. He brought his valuable experience as a perfume master at Roure-Bertrand, now Givaudin, to the company, now run by the third generation, where intensive research had been carried out into the interaction between fragrance and mood. Based on this neuroscientific research, Givaudin had developed algorithms for fragrance composition to evoke or enhance different moods. These guidelines are now patented and perfumes that match these formulas with the respective mood are certified. As so-called mood boosters, they have an effect on happiness, well-being and balance, energy and the quality of sleep and relaxation.

Gutsatz has been able to pass on his enthusiasm for fragrances and their effects to subsequent generations; today, his grandson Michel Gutsatz and his wife Clara Feder manage the perfume house. Since 2017, they have been supported by in-house perfumer Maxence Moutte, who adapts the existing fragrances to current requirements and is now responsible for three characterful and successful fragrance compositions - Mousse Arashiyama (2021), Osmanthe Liu Yuan (2023) and Violette Kew (2024). The names of the fragrance compositions from Le Jardin Retrouvé refer in the first part to the leading fragrance component and in the second to a famous garden that evoked a mood and thus inspired the composition. The shape of the bottles is reminiscent of the gates of a garden fence, and the Bakelite® lid is a matching pastel green.

Bakelit® is a registered trademark of Momentive Specialty Chemicals GmbH.